Playhouse with Movable and Removable Panels

ABSTRACT

A walk-in child playhouse constructed of a wood or plastic molded frame with moveable and removable cardboard wall, door and roof panels. The cardboard panels are mounted in slotted horizontal framing members enabling the following: panels may be used to completely enclose the playhouse; panels may be removed to create openings in the playhouse; locations of openings can be changed by moving the panels in the slotted framing members; all of the panels may be removed leaving an open frame structure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EFS WEB)

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a child playhouse with movable and removable wall, door and roof panels.

2. Description of Related Art

Cardboard playhouses offer great opportunities for creative play for children. Cardboard playhouses can be purchased or homemade. Homemade playhouses offer children the opportunity to size and locate door and wall openings. And both purchased and homemade cardboard playhouses provide a surface that can be easily decorated with items such as markers or paint. Whether purchased or homemade, once an opening has been created it cannot typically be easily eliminated or relocated. And parts of the playhouse that are damaged or overly colored/decorated cannot be easily replaced.

Wood or molded plastic playhouses typically offer much greater durability than cardboard playhouses, but children do not typically get to determine the locations and sizes of openings. In addition, wood or plastic playhouses are not usually as easy to modify and color/decorate as cardboard playhouses. And like the cardboard playhouses, window and door openings cannot usually be eliminated or relocated easily.

It would therefore be advantageous to have a playhouse constructed of a sturdy wood or plastic frame with easily removable, replaceable and moveable cardboard panels that could be arranged for windows and roof openings to be located and relocated virtually anywhere a child chooses, and easily replaced if damaged or overly colored/decorated.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The needs identified above are met; this invention consists of a playhouse with the versatility of cardboard playhouses and the durability of a wood or molded plastic playhouse. This playhouse consists of a wood or plastic molded frame with slotted horizontal frame members used to hold cardboard wall and roof panels in place. The wall and roof panels can be moved or removed from the slotted horizontal frame members creating wall, door or roof openings virtually anywhere a child chooses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the playhouse.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the playhouse

FIG. 3 is a section view of the playhouse

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of FIG. 3; one of the sides and part of the roof

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention consists of a walk-in child playhouse constructed of a wood or plastic molded frame with moveable and removable cardboard wall, door and roof panels. The horizontal frame members 1 (FIG. 4) have slots in which the wall, door and roof panels 2 (FIG. 4) can slide in the horizontal direction. The slots are open at the ends of the horizontal frame members so panels can be easily removed to create openings in the door, walls or roof of the playhouse. 

1. A walk-in child playhouse comprising of a wood or plastic molded frame in which the horizontal frame members have single continuous open-ended grooves to receive square or rectangular cardboard door, wall and roof panels, where the panels are inserted between the horizontal framing members and are not affixed to the frame but are held in place by the top and bottom edges of the panels being located within the continuous open-ended grooves, which permits the panels to be slid freely in the horizontal direction so panels may be relocated, added, or removed by sliding the panels along, into, or out of the open-ended grooves to create, relocate or eliminate door, wall or roof openings in the playhouse. 